This invention relates to a method and an associated device for use in intravenous feeding to improve the safety of the intravenous procedures. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and device for preventing the feeding of air intravenously to a patient.
In the feeding of fluids intravenously to a patient, care is usually taken to ensure that no air bubbles are present in the intravenous line prior to connection thereof to the patient. To remove air bubbles from the intravenous feed line, the line is flushed with the intravenous fluid or solution.
Despite the care that is normally taken to clear intravenous tubes of air bubbles, sometimes an intravenous line is not flushed for a sufficiently long period to ensure that all the air has been removed.